Apple may soon overtake Samsung to become world’s best smartphone maker: Report

Apple is expected to overtake Samsung for the first time in about 14 years and become the world’s largest smartphone maker in 2025, according to new estimates from Counterpoint Research. Apple may ship around 243 million iPhones this year, while Samsung is expected to ship about 235 million. If these numbers are correct, Apple will have roughly 19.4% of the global smartphone market, slightly ahead of Samsung. The main reason for this change is strong demand for Apple’s new iPhone 17 and a large number of people upgrading their phones in countries such as the United States and China.

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Counterpoint Research says the iPhone 17 has received strong worldwide demand. Early sales in the U.S. and China are higher than those of the previous generation. The strong holiday sales also support Apple’s expected 10% growth, compared with Samsung’s expected 4 to 5% growth.

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A key reason for this growth is that many people are now upgrading phones they bought during the COVID-19 period. Counterpoint analyst Yang Wang says buyers from 2020 to 2022 are entering their upgrade period, which naturally increases demand.

Apple also benefits from a large number of secondhand iPhones. From 2023 to mid-2025, about 358 million used iPhones were sold. Many of these users may buy new models in the coming years.

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Analysts say Apple’s plans could help it stay on top for several years. Reports suggest a lower-cost iPhone 17e may come in 2026. Apple may also release a long-awaited foldable iPhone around the same time. A major redesign is expected in 2027 to celebrate 20 years of the iPhone.

These new models could help Apple reach more people in price-sensitive markets where Samsung and Chinese brands have been strong.

Samsung is still a strong global player but faces pressure in low- and mid-range phones, which are the highest volume categories. Strengthening these segments will be important if Samsung wants to take back the top spot.

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According to IDC, Samsung had 19% market share in global shipments in the last quarter, followed by Apple at 18% and Xiaomi at 14%.

Apple’s success in smartphones also comes at a time when the race for the world’s most valuable company is getting closer. Nvidia currently has a market value of about $4.23 trillion, while Apple is at $4.12 trillion. Continued strong iPhone sales could make the gap even smaller.

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Bhaskar Sharma

Bhaskar is a senior copy editor at Digit India, where he simplifies complex tech topics across iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and emerging consumer tech. His work has appeared in iGeeksBlog, GuidingTech, and other publications, and he previously served as an assistant editor at TechBloat and TechReloaded. A B.Tech graduate and full-time tech writer, he is known for clear, practical guides and explainers. View Full Profile